talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has spoken on the opportunity for Newcastle to swoop for Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips and Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale in January.

Agbonlahor believes Newcastle will look at Phillips in January, saying Ruben Neves would be a good player for them, but Phillips would “make sense”.

They then went on to speak on Aaron Ramsdale who is currently being kept out of the Arsenal team by David Raya, and Agbonlahor believes he would also be a good addition for Newcastle.

Agbonlahor made the point that all the top clubs have a goalkeeper that can play out from the back, but he believes Nick Pope is a “top shot stopper but can’t play with his feet”.

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“I think Newcastle will look at Phillips.” ?

“Ramsdale has to go in January. Pope’s a top shot stopper but can’t play with his feet.” ?

Gabby Agbonlahor backs #NUFC to go for Kalvin Phillips & Aaron Ramsdale in January. pic.twitter.com/eUrjrR7Yt7

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) November 22, 2023

Phillips has only made eight appearances for Manchester City this campaign, only totalling 215 minutes of football across those eight games.

Meanwhile Ramsdale has also struggled for minutes since the arrival of Raya in the summer, making seven appearances for the Gunners this campaign, keeping two clean sheets and totalling 630 minutes of football.

With both of these players struggling for minutes this season, the opportunity could be there for clubs to come knocking in January, whether that be Newcastle or another club.

The post Pundit speaks on potential double swoop for Newcastle in January market appeared first on CaughtOffside.

England only managed a draw in their final game of EURO Qualifying, in a 1-1 draw with North Macedonia.

The attack for England was very flat on the day, struggling to create clear cut opportunities, and going behind in the first half, they managed to fight back and get a draw, but overall the performance wasn’t good enough from Gareth Southgate’s men.

Read on for our England player ratings, and who stood out for the Three Lions…

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Jordan Pickford – 7 – Made two saves, including saving a penalty but the rebound was scored, not much else he could do.

Rico Lewis – 7 – Very unfortunate to give the penalty away, other than that thought he made a good account, making two tackles, making one key pass and completing 59/59 passes.

Harry Maguire – 6 – Completed five of his eleven long balls, and only had a pass completion of 84%, however he did win 5/6 aerial duels.

Marc Guehi – 6 – Made one tackle, won 2/3 ground duels and made two of his three long balls, but only won 1/5 aerial duels.

Kyle Walker – 7 – Recovered well when needed for England, making two interceptions, one tackle and one block, he also went forwards well, made one key pass, and completed both of his long balls attempted.

Declan Rice – 7.5 – Solid in the middle for England, made one key pass and kept it simple with a 96% pass accuracy. Also won 4/6 ground duels and made four tackles.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6 – Wasn’t at his best, only made one key pass and that is what he is in there for. Failed all three of his long ball attempts and only completed one of his five crosses.

Phil Foden – 7.5 – Was very involved, and looked the most dangerous for England going forward. Drifting around picking up the ball, completed two key passes, created one big chance and completed two of his three dribble attempts.

Jack Grealish – 7 – Was nice and direct when he got the ball on the flank, made two key passes and completed seven of his eight dribbles. Marginally offside for his goal which was correctly ruled out.

Ollie Watkins – 5 – Barely got involved in the game, only played 58 minutes and only managed 10 touches.

Bukayo Saka – 6 – Did make two key passes, but could’ve done more on that right hand side. Nearly had an assist for Grealish’s disallowed goal, but did fail both of his other cross attempts, and only completed one successful dribble out of three.

Subs: Harry Kane 7, Cole Palmer N/A, Marcus Rashford N/A, Kalvin Phillips N/A.

The post England player ratings: Flat England only manage draw, but youngster shows he’s ready appeared first on CaughtOffside.

As the January transfer window comes into view, West Ham need to seriously consider how much they want to spend and who they need to buy in order to push them forward in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

The east Londoners, after a decent start to the season, seem to have gone a little off the boil of late, though the upcoming fixtures and festive programme does hand them a chance to claw themselves back up the table before any new additions are added.

One area where they’ve struggled is up front, with centre-forward, Michail Antonio, managing just two goals so far per WhoScored.

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Nov 24 2023, 11:06

Whether the Jamaican international remains at the club beyond the next window is a moot point, but he was quite vocal on The Footballer’s Football Podcast about an “unreal” player that he’d love the Hammers to sign.

Antonio name checked Man City’s £150,000 per week (Capology) midfielder, Kalvin Phillips, and, as Tutto Juve now note, the Hammers appear to be in for him.

Given that it’s believed that the likes of Juventus and Newcastle are interested in the player’s services too, it would be a real coup if David Moyes could land Phillips in January.

From the player’s point of view, a move away from City has to appeal given the close proximity of the European Championship and the need for him to be visible and playing in order to get a place in Gareth Southgate’s squad.

The post West Ham enquire about signing £150k-a-week England playmaker appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Kalvin Phillips is looking to part ways with Manchester City in the upcoming transfer window.

There is interest in his services from across Europe but according to a report by Calciomercato, he wants to continue in the Premier League.

Phillips proved himself in the English top flight while playing for Leeds United and then joined Manchester City in the summer of 2022. He was expected to eventually make his way into Pep Guardiola’s first team. But, that hasn’t happened yet and it is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

While his contract with the Manchester-based club runs until the summer of 2028, they were ready to part ways with him in the summer. However, the player wanted to fight for his place and decided to stay at the club.

Things haven’t changed one bit and the 27-year-old has only had 215 minutes of footballing action in the ongoing season. As a result, Phillips now wants to part ways with City in the winter window.

There is interest in his services from across Europe. Juventus are one of the clubs keen on his signatures. They are willing to go all out to land him at the club but the player prefers staying in England.

Meanwhile, Liverpool and Newcastle United are two English clubs keen on having him in their ranks. The Merseyside clubs might have signed numerous midfielders in the summer but they still need another defensive midfielder. And, Phillips is a key target for them. However, City might not want to sell the 27-year-old to a direct rival.

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Eddie Howe’s Newcastle are also pushing for his signatures. They have suffered a huge blow as their summer signing Sandro Tonali has been banned for 10 months following his involvement in Illegal betting. Howe is keen on reinforcement in the winter and they are looking to push for Phillips.

The post Liverpool, Newcastle receive boost in their pursuit of 27-year-old PL ace appeared first on CaughtOffside.

West Ham have reportedly become the latest club to join the race to sign Kalvin Phillips.

That’s according to a recent report from Football Insider, who claims the Hammers have joined Newcastle United in pursuit of the out-of-favour Manchester City midfielder.

Despite joining the Cityzens from Leeds United just over 12 months ago, Phillips, 27, has failed to become part of Pep Guardiola’s first-team plans.

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Major Leicester player to move on after his contract expires next summer

Nov 24 2023, 11:26

Newcastle United midfielder could leave the club on loan in January

Nov 24 2023, 11:22

“Beautiful left foot… ” – Eddie Howe excited by ‘real high potential’ Newcastle star

Nov 24 2023, 11:06

The Spanish mastermind is thought to have concerns over the Englishman’s athleticism and speed which hamper his ability to cover the ground in order to help prevent counter-attacks.

Consequently, the treble-winners are now preparing for his exit in January which could be a loan or a permanent sale.

David Moyes has a long-standing interest in Phillips having seen a £50 million bid rejected just six months before he joined City (Sky Sports).

Newcastle are also heavily linked with a January approach as Eddie Howe seeks to find cover for the suspended Sandro Tonali following the Italian’s illegal betting activity while playing for AC Milan.

During his first, and likely last, season at the Etihad, Phillips, who has four-and-a-half-years left on his contract, has featured in 29 games, in all competitions. Just two of those appearances have been Premier League starts though.

The post West Ham join race for Kalvin Phillips as reason for Man City axe emerges appeared first on CaughtOffside.

This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

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Sir Jim sends a strong message to Man United’s board

It was an historical day at Manchester United because, after 16 years, Richard Arnold left his role as CEO of the club. This huge news can be seen as the first message from Sir Jim Ratcliffe – set to buy a 25% minority stake in the club – to the wider board at the club.

It’s really important to mention that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will have sporting control so will be able to bring people into United, and this is why Patrick Stewart is going to be the interim CEO.

A couple of days ago I told you Jean-Claude Blanc is the favourite to become the new CEO at Manchester United and I can confirm that the discussions are very positive.

Blanc obviously knows the INEOS group very well and is perfectly aligned with their ideas.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is also still waiting for a final decision on the sporting director role with Paul Mitchell the favourite and discussions still ongoing.

Clearly Manchester United will be a work in progress over the next few months.

No contract talks for de Jong until 2024

Also guys, I wanted to clarify something on Frenkie de Jong’s contract because it’s important to say that Barcelona will not be extending any other contracts this year.

Not for the Dutchman, for Ronald Araujo or anyone else. It’s because of Financial Fair Play and so they’re not changing any salaries or any contracts in November and December.

This is the idea so, in 2024, Deco will be in contact with the agents of the players concerned. In fact, he’s already mentioned that he’s speaking to de Jong’s agents and Barça want to keep hold of him for sure.

He’s a crucial player as Laporta said many times, so the discussion will take place but it has to be 2024, not now.

He’s very happy in Barcelona, both with his private life and at the club, and at the moment, the situation is completely quiet around him.

Does Napoli sacking their manager change the position on Victor Osimhen?

Many of you have been asking me about Victor Osimhen in recent days because he mentioned Chelsea and Man United on a recent podcast, saying some friends supported the two teams.

But also guys, Napoli have changed the manager after a horrible beginning of the season for the new coach, Rudi Garcia, and despite them winning the title last season.

Napoli have appointed Walter Mazzarri, the former Watford and Inter manager who was also at Napoli as manager for four years between 2009 and 2013. Now, 10 years later, he’s back with the Partnopei.

The club haven’t changed their position on Osimhen despite only having a manager for the short term, and the club are still not in a position to sell him.

Their priority is to keep the player in January and to push again with the contract extension. Maybe the time to sell him could be in the summer…

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Nov 24 2023, 11:26

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Nov 24 2023, 11:06

In other news…

Casemiro – Currently I’m told it’s still quiet with regards to Saudi Pro League clubs and Casemiro. No concrete proposals or negotiations are taking place. We’ll have to see what happens in the summer, but it depends on a lot of factors including Saudi plans, Man United decisions and more. I think he’s still a very important player, but has just been unlucky with his injuries.

Juventus targets – They always appreciated Domenico Berardi from Sassuolo. He was already a target in August but the negotiation was difficult. Now Jadon Sancho is in the list but Berardi remains a player they really like and appreciate.

I don’t know the exact name of the midfielder that they’re after yet, it’s too early. Kalvin Phillips, Thomas Partey and other names being spoken about are too defensive. Juve actually want an offensive midfielder and it has to be a cheap deal, they’re not spending crazy money. I’d go for Rodrigo de Paul but Atlético Madrid consider him a key player, so not easy at all and also… he won’t come cheap.

Gabriel Moscardo – The cost for interested clubs to sign Moscardo will be around €25m from what I’m told. Chelsea wanted him in August but there was no formal approach to Corinthians. Now, 5-6 clubs from the UK and also Italy are interested, but nothing has been decided or advanced at this stage. For Barça, he’s too expensive as of now.

Nestory Irankunda – Really, all the big European clubs knew this boy very well. UK, German and Spanish clubs sent their scouts multiple times to watch him but credit to Bayern – they were super fast, efficient and concrete in their negotiations to make the deal happen.

The post A busy day for Man United, De Jong contract latest, Osimhen’s Premier League hint, Casemiro Saudi truth, and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The January transfer window could be the most important for a while in the careers of Man City’s Kalvin Phillips and Arsenal’s Thomas Partey.

Both are great midfielders in their own right and both are also struggling for significant game time at their respective clubs.

Phillips, for example, has been handed just 236 minutes of action all season per WhoScored, and whilst Partey’s situation at Arsenal isn’t quite so acute, with Declan Rice ahead of him, the Ghanaian doesn’t appear to be seeing as much first-team action as he would like.

Serie A giants, Juventus, have been linked with the pair, however, Fabrizio Romano has a different take on their situation.

“I don’t know the exact name of the midfielder that they’re (Juve) after yet, it’s too early,” he told CaughtOffside for his exclusive Daily Briefing column.

“Kalvin Phillips, Thomas Partey and other names being spoken about are too defensive. Juve actually want an offensive midfielder and it has to be a cheap deal, they’re not spending crazy money.”

That information being accurate, and Romano is normally bang on the money where transfers are concerned, means that both players could still be looking around for gainful employment throughout January.

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Nov 24 2023, 11:26

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Nov 24 2023, 11:06

Phillips needs to get himself a new club if he wants to form part of the England squad at Euro 2024 because, although Gareth Southgate is giving him a free pass now, come to nearer the tournament, and he can’t really justify including the Man City ace at the expense of another player who is turning out for his team more regularly.

Partey’s situation is complicated by the fact that he is likely to be playing in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) during the early part of the new year too.

The post Exclusive: Truth behind the Kalvin Phillips and Thomas Partey to Juventus rumours revealed appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Newcastle United are keen on signing the Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

A report from the Northern Echo claims that Newcastle United will press ahead with a move for the 27-year-old midfielder in January, especially after Sandro Tonali was handed a suspension for his involvement in an illegal batting scandal.

Phillips has struggled for regular game time at Manchester City and he could be keen on an exit in January. A move to Newcastle would allow him to play regularly and regain his form and sharpness ahead of the European championships next summer.

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Major Leicester player to move on after his contract expires next summer

Nov 24 2023, 11:26

Newcastle United midfielder could leave the club on loan in January

Nov 24 2023, 11:22

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Nov 24 2023, 11:06

If he manages to impress at Newcastle, the Magpies might just look to sign in permanently at the end of the season.

He has proven himself in the Premier League in the past with Leeds United, and he should prove to be a key player for Newcastle if he manages to regain his rhythm during the second half of the campaign.

The post Newcastle to press ahead with January move for 27-year-old PL ace appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Jadon Sancho almost certain to leave and Al Hilal will be one to watch

Jadon Sancho is almost certain to leave Manchester United in January. There is both European and Saudi interest.

However, a lot of the European clubs want a ‘try before you buy’ type deal. This means a straight loan, or one with an option. Juventus are the latest club to consider Sancho, as Fabrizio Romano revealed.

Saudi clubs have considered Sancho before, and on September 7th Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq made a superficial enquiry. Manchester United wanted a loan with a £50m obligation to buy and this was out of Ettifaq’s budget.

Al-Hilal could be one to watch for Sancho. Their priority is to replace Neymar during his long-term ACL injury, but not necessarily with a like-for-like profile. They just want a goalscorer. Sancho hasn’t been tempted by a Saudi move in the past, but dealmakers aren’t put off by rejections…

Victor Osimhen and other names who turned down Saudi

This last point was apparent with Victor Osimhen, who was subject of an offer from Al-Hilal last summer. The Nigerian told the Obi One Podcast that every time an offer was turned down another was made and he eventually seriously considered joining.

“I never thought of [leaving in summer] at first,” he said. “But when this huge offer came from [Al-Hilal] it was tempting. It was a big one… I had three meetings and made up my mind to stick with the team.

“In August it was a huge decision for me to take. The more I said no to these people the more they increased their offer. It was literally like ‘wow’… they never gave up until the end of their transfer window.”

Saudi Pro League clubs are still likely to be busier in the summer rather than in January.

Casemiro and Kalvin Phillips are two targets for 2024. Tottenham’s Son remains on the list. He’s been there since last summer, as exclusively revealed last summer. Son has always dismissed links, but dealmakers always knew he wouldn’t leave in 2023.

Neymar, Bobby Firmino and Sadio Mane all turned down initial approaches, yet all three eventually joined the Saudi Pro League and that’s why dealmakers continue to push even with targets that show little or no interest.

Richarlison could also be a name to watch, but multiple Saudi clubs are worried about his age. Al-Ettifaq are one of them. And, of course, Mo Salah remains a big summer target. There’s no guarantee it will be Al-Ittihad who return for the Egyptian. Al-Hilal is also a possibility.

Victor Osimhen or Ivan Toney to Chelsea?

Osimhen to Saudi is very unlikely now in 2024. Having turned down the Al-Hilal offer, the Nigerian is likely to stay in Europe. He hasn’t agreed a contract with Napoli despite a two-year extension being quite close at points over the summer.

A mid-season move is still relatively unlikely, especially with Napoli well on course to get out of their Champions League group.

Osimhen is keen on a Premier League move and has spoken about how as a kid he owned both a Chelsea and Manchester United shirt, and used to watch Didier Drogba videos on YouTube to try and improve his game.

Chelsea will be looking for an elite striker in 2024. They are prepared to wait until summer if they need to rather than move in January. There are a lot of links with Ivan Toney, but the price Brentford would require in January makes that quite difficult. It could be as high as £80m. And not everyone in Chelsea’s senior leadership or recruitment team feels Toney is the right choice, especially mid-season when he’s gone so long without playing.

Toney wants to stay in London and would welcome an Arsenal or Chelsea offer, but don’t be surprised if the latter keep their powder dry and wait for another name.

Osimhen is undoubtedly an option, and he’ll be (a least a bit) cheaper next summer compared to last. This could also present a scenario where, as with Christopher Nkunku, Chelsea try to pre-sign Osimhen in January for the summer in order to jump ahead of the market.

But right now nothing is advanced because all interested clubs are simply trying to understand what Aurelio De Laurentiis will sell for since last summer he simply wouldn’t engage for anything under €150m. Now he may accept €120m. Plus, with Rudi Garcia outgoing, Osimhen may also take time to assess what life is like under Walter Mazzarri, who is expected to sign a short-term deal.

When to expect a decision from Kylian Mbappe

We may not get clarity on Kylian Mbappe’s future in January. PSG are calm about the situation. They feel like discussions over a renewal will take place in the latter half of the season, after the window closes. They are not braced for a Real Madrid offer mid-season, and Carlo Ancelotti has already ruled out doing January business.

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Major Leicester player to move on after his contract expires next summer

Nov 24 2023, 11:26

Newcastle United midfielder could leave the club on loan in January

Nov 24 2023, 11:22

“Beautiful left foot… ” – Eddie Howe excited by ‘real high potential’ Newcastle star

Nov 24 2023, 11:06

PSG have felt for some time that Mbappe will either renew long-term or renew with a clause allowing him still to be sold this summer. Both options protect the club financially since they allow PSG to get a fee.

But even if Mbappe leaves for free, PSG now feel they won’t lose out financially because Mbappe is prepared to forgo certain payments should he leave without renewing. That means both club and player can focus on football and deal with the specifics of either a renewal or exit later in the season. So there is no pressure or urgency to resolve Mbappe’s future before or during January.

Mbappe is expected to decide based on how the season and project goes at PSG, and that’s why a deep Champions League run is important.

The post Kylian Mbappe’s future, Jadon Sancho Al Hilal transfer option & Chelsea striker targets – Ben Jacobs column appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips is reportedly edging toward accepting a loan move to Newcastle United.

That’s according to recent reports in Italy, which claim the English midfielder would prefer to move to St. James’ Park over a possible switch to Juventus.

Eddie Howe’s Magpies are going to be forced into the January transfer market after summer signing Sandro Tonali was suspended for 10 months following illegal betting activity while playing for AC Milan.

More Stories / Latest News

Major Leicester player to move on after his contract expires next summer

Nov 24 2023, 11:26

Newcastle United midfielder could leave the club on loan in January

Nov 24 2023, 11:22

“Beautiful left foot… ” – Eddie Howe excited by ‘real high potential’ Newcastle star

Nov 24 2023, 11:06

And identifying City’s Phillips as the ideal replacement, Newcastle are set to pursue a deal to bring the former Leeds ace to England’s northeast. The possible move could benefit all parties too.

Ahead of next summer’s European Championships, Phillips, by his own admission, is in need of regular playing time and filling in for Tonali would certainly provide him that.

The post £150k-a-week stalwart on verge of accepting January move to Newcastle appeared first on CaughtOffside.